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Summary: A Painted House
Review: I have read all of John Grishoms novels and found this one to actually be ridiculous. First of all, a seven year old is not interested in sex in the way Grishom writes. Plus a seven year old does not have the thoughts and insights that are as "mature" as Grishom's character. This falseness made me intensely dislike the book. The boy was speaking in "Grishom-language", that of a forty-something man (or at least a 14 year old), not a seven year old. Didn't someone point this out to him when the book was being proofed, etc? or were they relying on his name to make a best seller and didn't care about the authenticity of the storyline? I think it is a waste of money. Get it from the library if you're curious about it.
Rating: 
Summary: Grisham has lost it
Review: Grishman latest is not even a pot boiler. The pot never boils. If one is interested in a day to day events of a rather dull life--this book is for you. It is a shame when Grisham has written so many good and eventful books that he has dwscended to this level. Has he run out of material??
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Summary: Nice Change For Grish
Review: Not being a huge fan of Grish, or really any modern fiction, I was a little sceptical reading this book but I needed something to read on the beach. It was done by the end of the day and I was impressed. I will admit he knows how to write a legal thriller but this is something worth reading. Its no Grapes of Wrath or anything like that, but its a good easy read.
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Summary: Grisham Has Done It Again!
Review: As an avid fan of John Grisham's work, I couldn't wait to his next novel came out after The Brethern. To my surprise, I found this book online and ever since I received it, I couldn't put it down. The plot and characters were marvelous! Although the topic of this book is far off from his legal themes in the past, it was a good change and proves that Grisham has the ability to vary his novels. Kudos to Grisham for his great work. I recommend this novel to both fans and newcomers alike.
Rating: 
Summary: Change of pace
Review: Having read a few of Mr. Grishams works , I gave this a shot. Decent story of Luke and family struggling to make it in farm country Arkansas. Likened it to "Wish you Well" and "To kill a mockingbird". Not the best I've read in awhile, but an entertaining piece of work. A little disappointed in the ending. I'd say, overall, if you prefer Grishams regular work, you should like this. A change of pace for his fans.
Rating:
Summary: A Phenominal Read
Review: As I picked this book up the day of its release, I was a bit apprehensive with all the talk of this being a departure for the Author. That this book had his name on the cover, but it was not truly a "Grisham". All I can say is sop you whining. This book may not set foot in a court room, that is because it does not need to. This book has everything a great sory needs; a narrator who never looses focus, a great cast of characters, and a reverence for the purity of a way of life that has all but vanished.I love this book. I find it tough to call it Grisham's best, because I love all his books so much. I think this book will go down as Grisham's most personal work to date and one which any ture fan should read. I would call the reader's attention to the closing of Chapter 23 (I believe) where the narrator realizes the final baseball game of the season has ended and it will be months beofre another pitch is thrown. "And for the first time in my life, baseball broke my heart". That line has stayed with me. It marks the personal nature ofthis book you cannot help but wonder just how much Grisham is in Luke.
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Summary: His next book should be "Guilty of Bordom"
Review: This book has entered my list of all time cures for insomnia, along with "Cold Mountain" and "Angela's Ashes". It can be summed up in one word - depressing. Books like this can be called 'page turners' because you keep turning the page to the expectation that something interesting has to happen. It is not believable. I might have believed it more if Luke were 14 and not 7. (I can't remember ever knowing a seven year old with the interest in naked women of an 18 year old.) And I don't think I could spoil the end because there is none. It is like Grisham just decides he is bored with the book himself and stops writing. It leaves a lot of loose ends. And there are so many loose ends that I fear he may be considering a second in the series, or God forbid, a trilogy.
Rating:
Summary: Compelling!
Review: Unlike most of the reviewers of _A Painted House_, I have never before read a book by John Grisham. Now it's not like I've been hiding under a rock and I have a couple of his books waiting to be read. But until _A Painted House_ came out I never actually read his work. I was amazed at his talent and I'm kicking myself for not reading some of his work earlier. Okay, if you're looking for a good lawyer book fix, run the other way as _A Painted House_ has not a trace of a lawyer in it. Infact, the main character is a little boy working in his family's cotton field and wants to be a baseball player when he grows up. Not promising for people looking for a courtroom drama or a thriller. Still, _A Painted House_ is an utterly compelling piece of literature and it quite acurately depicts life through the eyes of a little boy. There is something different about this book that makes it very hard to describe. It is not like a lot of the books that I have read in the sense that there is no driving force to it- there isn't a mystery or self discorvery plot going on to keep you turning the pages. It is one of those books that you can set down for two weeks and come back and jump right back into it. The characters feel like your nextdoor neighbors. Mr. Grisham obviously couldn't resist adding a little thrill though, so for all of you just dying for some Grisham suspense, there is a tinsy bit at the end. But don't read it for the suspense; _A Painted House_ is simply a well written book that leaves you feeling good when you're finished. Mr. Grisham's writing style is one of a kind and makes the book worthwhile. His characters are down to earth and interesting. His plot doesn't grab you in the conventional sense but you are always drawn back for more. _A Painted House_ is truly a fantastic piece of work that will appeal to every literature lover out there.
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Summary: Wonderful story!
Review: I thought this book has to rank as one of Grisham's best novels. Having grown up in a similar rural area as Grisham and the characters in this novel, I felt like I was transformed back in time. This is the type of book that you wish would never end. The details and language are a joy!
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Summary: Good to see you again Mr. Grisham... haven't changed a bit..
Review: After years of reading the same story over and over again with new characters in a new city, Grisham casts off his former claim to fame and goes country. But still, if dear reader looks between the lines, our old reliable John is still using his familiar schtick. In all of Grisham's former stories, he told us about a weak-kneed, small-time lawyer in some southern backwater city who takes on the wicked team of powerful, big city, fancy lawyers over some suffering circumstance by an innocent victim. The weak little lawyer wins, saving the day of the downtrodden because his good sense and good morals see him through. The dastardly big bad lawyers walk away, grumbling. Walt Disney used the same trick to make Steamboat Willie (AKA "Mickey Mouse") capture our hearts so many decades ago. The good guy always wins in the end. Grisham takes his formula to the heartland, where 1950's farmers suffer at the hands of finance, weather and fate. But they aren't the real basis of the story. It's all about an innocent little seven year-old boy, who gets caught in the middle of some pretty unsavory circumstances by all of those big, powerful adults around him. He struggles with his secrets and what is the right thing to do, but once again, goodness prevails and weak little boy ends the story smelling like a rose and all the big bad people in the story go away grumbling in regret. Good to see you again, Mister John Grisham.... I see you haven't changed a bit.
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